Criticism of Megawati And Conglomerate Sudhamek's Inauguration in BRIN Management, Ahmad Basarah: It's In Accordance With the Presidential Regulation

Chairman of the PDI-P DPP Ahmad Basarah. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the PDI-P DPP Ahmad Basarah emphasized that the structure of the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) was in accordance with Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 78 of 2021.

"We are monitoring the critics who question the decision of the Jokowi-Maruf Amin government to appoint and inaugurate the BRIN Steering Committee chaired by Megawati Soekarnoputri," Basarah said in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Sunday, October 17.

This criticism, he continued, considered that the BRIN Steering Committee should be chaired by someone with the caliber of a leading research scientist and considered Megawati Soekarnoputri not to be included in that caliber.

"To be able to understand the appointment of Megawati Soekarnoputri as Chair of the BRIN Steering Committee, we must look back at Presidential Regulation (Perpres) 78 of 2021 concerning BRIN," said the Deputy Chair of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly.

In particular, Basarah said, starting with Article 6 which states that "The Steering Committee has the task of providing direction to the Head in formulating policies and conducting research, development, study, and application, as well as inventions and innovations, implementation of nuclear power, and implementation of outer space as the basis for development planning. nationally in all areas of life guided by the values ​​of Pancasila.

"I underline here is 'Guided to the values ​​of Pancasila'. This means that the Government wants every research and innovation activity to be guided by Pancasila," said Basarah.

It also means research and innovation in accordance with the values ​​of the One Godhead; just and civilized humanity; who maintain the unity of Indonesia; which ensures that it is democratic based on deliberation for consensus; and social justice for all Indonesian people.

Then article 7 paragraph 2 which reads "The chairman as referred to in paragraph (1) letter an ex-officio comes from an element of the Steering Committee of the body that carries out government duties in the field of fostering the Pancasila ideology."

"So it can be understood, as the Chair of the Steering Committee of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), which carries out the task of fostering the Pancasila ideology, Mrs. Megawati was appointed to serve as ex officio to the BRIN Steering Committee," he explained.

So, he added, when someone criticizes and regrets the decision not to appoint a scientist or researcher of caliber as chairman of the steering board, he is actually questioning the government's decision to ensure research and technology are based on Pancasila.

"What's wrong if the Jokowi-Maruf Amin government wants to ensure that every research and innovation activity in Indonesia is in line with the values ​​of Pancasila? For us, there is nothing wrong at all if the central government chooses that principle," he said.

Basarah said that if the community agreed to make Pancasila the basis of the state, then the community must also ensure that every policy and vision of future development is based on Pancasila, not based on other isms such as Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Radicalism, or the notion of the caliphate.

In addition, Megawati is not alone in the BRIN Steering Committee.

"There are 9 other figures who enter the Steering Committee who, together with the chairman, will ensure that BRIN runs according to the mandate of the regulations that govern it," he said.

Other BRIN Steering Committees, namely the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati (deputy chairman), Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas (vice chairman).

In addition, Basarah said, there are garudafood conglomerates boss Sudhamek Agoeng Waspodo who is known as an experienced businessman, Prof. Emil Salim who is good at economics, Prof. Adi Utarini in medicine and medicine, Prof. Marsudi Wahyu Kisworo who has won the title of best rector in Asia and is good at IT, Tri Mumpuni, who has experience serving the community in providing micro-hydro electricity, Bambang Kesowo, an experienced bureaucrat, and I Gede Wenten, a professor at ITB in the field of chemical engineering.

"If it is later accused that the Steering Committee is part of the partisan and practical interests of political parties, for us this is completely baseless and does not need to be discussed further," said Ahmad Basarah.